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Slideshow
August 31, 2005
For your listening and viewing pleasure, here's a slideshow of Mia's first month:
Posted by Kimberly at 6:32 PM | Comments (1)
Does it count?
Mia is getting pretty good at rolling over from her back to her front when you lay her down on her pillow. The pillow helps take some of the weight off of her shoulders so she doesn't get her arm stuck. Robert says this doesn't count because we gave her a crutch for the hardest part. I say she still looks like she's working pretty hard to turn over.
Well I keep putting her down that way and let her practice because then she gets a reward for all her hard work and doesn't start getting fussy from frustration right away. And I'm going to keep cheering her on everytime she does it, whether it "counts" or not.
Posted by Kimberly at 12:37 PM | Comments (2)
Clothes, clothes, clothes
August 29, 2005
Mia has too many clothes. There. I've said it.
As the baby gifts kept appearing on our doorstep, I'd put the too-big ones up in her closet for later. Turns out later is now. So, I start going through her pile of clothes to find the 3-6 month sizes and realize that nearly all of them are this size. I had two loads of laundry of just her new stuff! Once it was put away, there were two drawers stuffed full, two shelves bulging out so that the door would barely close and half a closet full of new clothes! Oh, and did I mention that she hasn't outgrown ALL of her 0-3 month size?
So, she's all set on clothes for now. I hope we can get them all worn once before she moves on to the next bigger size!
Posted by Kimberly at 10:50 PM | Comments (0)
Mia the Diva
August 27, 2005
Why do I think Mia's pre-teen years are going to be miserable beyond belief?
We know she's picky. We know she wants things how she wants them, when she wants them. We know she wants her diaper changed the minute it's dirty. We know when she gets hungry you have about 4 seconds to get her fed. And, now we know that it better not be with a bottle.
She's never really liked eating from the bottle, but she'd eventually take it and complain her way through a couple ounces. Of course, that would mean she'd want to eat again in just an hour or two, but it would get us through a dinner out.
Lately though, she's just decided she will have nothing to do with a bottle. In fact, when she sees the bib coming she starts wailing. We're talking big crocodile tears and crying so hard that she chokes herself. This is all BEFORE we bring her the bottle. Once that gets into her mouth she protests even louder.
We've tried everything. Different bottles. Different bottle givers. Different times of day. I've left so she won't think I'm holding out on her. Someone suggested I start breastfeeding her and then quickly pull her off and slip the bottle in so she won't notice.... um, she noticed.
The general consensus seems to be that she'll take it if she's hungry, but I've got my doubts. She's got quite a stubborn streak. We're still trying to figure out where she got that from. But, she'll hold out for quite some time. I don't know what she'd do if I HAD to go back to work. She'd be one unhappy camper, that's for sure.
Mia the Diva. We need to get a t-shirt printed for her.
Posted by Kimberly at 11:40 PM | Comments (0)
I think she's got it!
August 23, 2005
That darn fist never quite fit... but these two fingers do!
Posted by Kimberly at 9:25 AM | Comments (0)
Mia & Gavin
August 22, 2005
Mia and Gavin have had a few outings together now and I think they've really started taking to each other. I say this because sometimes we hear them talking to each other. But mostly they sit in the back seat, side by side, both wearing the same "car seat stare". It's the sort of look that says, "Oh brother, we're getting back in here again? Just great."
Today, they were both awake and in good moods at the same time so we thought we'd take advantage of it and snap a few photos. I wonder if this is what they were really thinking:
Posted by Kimberly at 10:03 PM | Comments (1)
Great big bed
August 21, 2005
We finally went out and bought the crib mattress today.
We knew that Mia would be sleeping in our room for a couple months so this was one purchase we kept putting off. But, we figured we should get her bed ready for her to sleep in sometime before she starts school and we had gift cards burning holes in our pockets.
Of course we had Mia with us, so I'm sure the checkout girl was wondering where she's been sleeping this whole time. To her credit, she didn't ask.
It's about time she got to sleep in her actual crib-- thank you grandma & grandpa-- so we brought it home and made her bed up, and she took a nap in it for the first time ever!
It's funny though, I'm always commenting on how big she's getting, but here she is looking rather tiny in a great big bed.
Posted by Kimberly at 11:04 PM | Comments (0)
Baby Einstein Part II
We caught some better action scenes today. She loves it in there since she can sit up and play by herself!
Posted by Kimberly at 7:14 PM | Comments (0)
Baby Einstein
August 20, 2005
We tried out the Baby Einstein Activity Center today and it looks like a success! Supposedly she's too young for it, but she seemed to be having a good time.
She did get a little angry when the buttons wouldn't work... I guess we better get those batteries back in!
Watch Mia's first day in her Activity Center!
Posted by Kimberly at 4:16 PM | Comments (1)
She's growing like a weed!
August 18, 2005
Ta-da! Today, Mia wore her first 3-6 month outfit!
When we went to the pediatrician for her two month visit, she was already over 12 lbs. I told her she was going on a diet since she's in the 75th percentile for weight, height and head circumference. Alright, I was kidding about that, but she is getting big now.
When we go out, people always say, "Oh look! There's a baby... a TINY baby!" It always surprises me to hear that because I still remember how small she was when she was born just two and a half months ago and think, "When did she get so huge?"
Not long from now, the new clothes ban will have to be lifted and we'll go shopping for 6-9 month sizes. Just wait until Grandma hears about this!
Posted by Kimberly at 11:22 PM | Comments (1)
Video!
August 17, 2005
I finally realized that my camera will take video as well as still images. It seems to only take 60 second clips, but one day I may play with it and see if I can figure out how to make them longer. In the meantime, here's 3 minutes of Mia in 3 separate videos. Enjoy!
Happy Squealing Mia (1)
Happy Squealing Mia (2)
Happy Squealing Mia (3)
*** These files are about 10Mb each. It may take a few minutes to download on slower connections.
Posted by Kimberly at 10:27 AM | Comments (0)
Sleeping like a baby
August 16, 2005
So for the past couple months I've been wondering who thought up that saying: "Sleeping like a baby". Because from what I can tell, sleeping like a baby means waking up every couple hours during the night.
But, last night Mia really DID sleep like a baby. She ate at 9pm, fell asleep at 10pm and I woke up at 6:30 this morning and she was still asleep! That's 9 1/2 hours without eating! She was wiggling around a bit and smacking her lips pretty loudly, but she wasn't awake and screaming for food yet. I fed her anyway, and she went back to bed. She's still sleeping now, so we'll see how long this shift lasts.
I've gotten amazing amounts of chores done this morning-- my efficiency increases exponentially when using two hands for things after sleeping for 8 hours IN A ROW. Well, I'm going to get back to dancing around the room in (silent) celebration.
Posted by Kimberly at 8:01 AM | Comments (1)
Entertaining herself
August 13, 2005
We're finally getting to the point where Mia doesn't have to be held every moment of the day.
She's been having fun under her Baby Einstein Play Gym for a while, but now she'll stay occupied by it for longer stretches at a time. This morning she was playing by herself for an hour and a half. She was laughing and sqealing and having the time of her life. She's been laughing at things she likes for a few weeks now, but lately she's started squealing when she likes something even more.
Also, she doesn't immediately cry when she wakes up anymore. I'll hear her sucking her fist from the other room and that's how I know she's awake. Or, sometimes she starts talking (to the wall I guess) and that's my cue to go get her out of bed.
Her evenings are still pretty fussy times. She doesn't really like to be put down anywhere after 6, but she's entitled to a few clingy hours. Besides, soon enough she won't want to cuddle with us at all so we're trying to enjoy every minute of it.
Posted by Kimberly at 10:55 PM | Comments (0)
Babysitters
August 12, 2005
It's the end of the summer and school is starting again. I told all of my students last year that I'd be back in the fall... Well that's now, so if I'm going to live up to that promise, I better find some child care.
Dr. Phil had a disturbing show on the things that can happen when you leave your child with someone. These families all thought they'd checked out their nannies thoroughly and horrible things happened.
But, trying to take less of an alarmist position, we're interviewing sitters trying to find someone responsible enough to tend our little bundle of joy.
"I mean, can you really trust another human being, Greg?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"No. The answer is you can not."
Posted by Kimberly at 5:25 AM | Comments (0)
That is one tasty fist
August 11, 2005
Mia has decided that sometimes she would rather chew on her fist than suck on her pacifier.
She'll pull the pacifier out of her mouth with one hand and stick the other hand in her mouth. We're not sure if she's trying to suck her thumb, but to do that, she'd have to unball her fist. Apparently, we're still one step away from making that connection. This way she ends up trying to shove her whole hand into her mouth.
While she's doing this, she smacks her lips so loudly that you can hear her in other rooms of the house. It sounds like she must be having the meal of a lifetime.
It's quite entertaining to watch. And, hear.
Posted by Kimberly at 11:30 AM | Comments (0)
Please check one
August 10, 2005
We're at the pediatrician's office this afternoon for Mia's two month checkup and the nurse is filling out some of the usual mountainous paperwork.
Name?
-Easy one. Mia Mitchell.
Birthdate?
-No problem, keep 'em coming. June 6, 2005.
Weight at birth?
-7lbs 14oz. Come on, people, I can answer these in my sleep.
Race?
-Um.
I don't know why, but it hadn't yet occurred to me that at some point she'd have to fill out a form somewhere and check one box under race. Caucasian? Yes. Asian? Yes. Wait a minute, you have to pick one. One? Which one?
I think this question is a bit outdated. It is the 21st century after all. And, she is certainly not the first baby born to parents who had to check different boxes on stupid bureaucratic forms. I wonder what all these children before her decided to check.
Well the nurse decided to check "Other". Ha. Maybe she can just pick a different one every time to keep people on their toes. Inuit. Guamanian. Chippewa. Chamorro. Belizean.....
***Update***
Robert found this picture today (August 11). How fitting: 
Posted by Kimberly at 5:23 PM | Comments (0)
The photo shoot
August 9, 2005
Over the weekend we decided to go get some professional photos taken of Mia.
We worried all morning about how things would go. I was certain we'd end up with a handful proofs forever capturing Screaming Mia. We carefully planned out travel time and feedings so she'd be as happy as possible at the appointment.
Well, it worked! She was happy as a lark for the camera. A few of the poses just didn't come out as well as we'd have liked, but we ended up with some cute shots.
Posted by Kimberly at 12:00 AM | Comments (0)
Swaddling is for babies!
August 8, 2005
I don't know how long newborns are supposed to be swaddled, but Mia seems to think she's outgrown it.
She kicked her way out of a normal blanket swaddle long ago. So, we've been exclusively using the special Swaddle Me blanket at night.
She seems to sleep longer when she is swaddled, and we're on board for anything to get a few extra minutes of sleep at night. So, we keep at it.
But, for the last few nights, I wake up to her top half swaddled tightly, but her legs flailing around completely outside of the blanket.
How she gets out of this, I don't understand. But, she's getting pretty good at it by now.
I guess she thinks she's outgrown the swaddling phase of her short life. It's time to sleep freely.
Posted by Kimberly at 12:13 PM | Comments (1)
Funny Fist
August 6, 2005
We just noticed the other day that with her right hand, Mia makes a funny fist. She tucks her thumb under her index finger.
She doesn't seem to do it with her left hand, but it's nearly every time with her right hand.
It's like that little game your uncle might play with you. "Got your nose!"
We found it amusing. Just a little Mia quirk.
Posted by Kimberly at 7:38 PM | Comments (0)
She's a talker!
August 5, 2005
Well, apparently Mia inherited something else from me... she likes to talk just to hear herself talk.
She's really cute about it. If you start asking her questions, she'll "answer" you. Once she gets going, she just doesn't stop. She'll talk and talk and talk and talk.... Where does she get it?
I think she actually thinks she's telling us something. She'll go on and on happily for a while. But at some point it's like she's trying to make a point that we're just not getting. She repeats herself, only louder this time. And, she gets this expression on her face like "So... why aren't you doing what I asked?" She repeats herself even louder. I patiently explain to her that I don't understand what she's saying and then the crying starts.
It seems like it's really frustrating for her. I do wish I could understand. I guess we'll just have to wait until she learns English. Of course then we'll never hear the end of it.
Posted by Kimberly at 5:55 PM | Comments (0)
Coincidence? I think not.
Babies don't really smile, they just look like it when they have gas. Whoever came up with this ridiculous notion didn't spend enough time with their infant.
Mia has had her social smile for a few weeks now. If you smile at her, she'll smile back. If you talk to her, she'll smile at you. If you sing a silly song she'll smile and laugh.
Last night was something new. She was in her co-sleeper fussing and I kept reaching over and shoving the pacifier back in her mouth in the hope that she'd fall back asleep. She didn't. This went on for about 45 minutes. Finally, I realized this wasn't going to work and we'd have to move to Plan B: food. I flipped on the light and was about to get up, but she had stopped fussing. When the light came on, she saw me and she smiled and then closed her eyes and fell asleep. Maybe she was scared of the dark. Maybe she just felt lonely and was happy to see a familiar face. I don't know, but I don't think it was gas.
Posted by Kimberly at 10:50 AM | Comments (0)
Frog Toes
August 4, 2005
From her dad, Mia inherited a cute dimple, long eyelashes, a nice wave to her hair, and adorable little ears. From me, she got frog toes.
I don't know why we call them this exactly-- it's not like they're webbed. In fact, it's just the opposite. I can spread them really far apart. When we first started dating Robert noticed this oddity and dubbed them "Frog Toes". It can be a verb too: "Hey, show them how you can frog your toes!"
I've only known one other person with this gift. On the night before our wedding, Jamie was sitting sideways in a chair with her legs hanging over the side. I came down the stairs and she said, "Hey, want to see what I can do?" And, lo and behold she FROGGED her toes! I gasped in astonishment and we happily frogged our toes together for a few minutes.
I hope Mia can find friends to surround herself with that find Frog Toes just as endearing.
Posted by Kimberly at 12:08 PM | Comments (0)
College already?
August 2, 2005
The excitement has worn off and reality has set in. Well, we're still excited, but reality is here nonetheless. And part of that reality is that in 2023, Mia may very well ask us for $314,245 to go to college.
Now, the real question is this: Are we expected to have that sum on hand at the time of her matriculation, or should she have to wait tables between classes and pay off loans until retirement like her parents? Will giving her a free ride lessen her appreciation for the value of a dollar? Will making her pay her own way instill in her a stronger work ethic?
Of course we want her to have the best life has to offer, so now we have to learn all about 529s and Coverdells. And any other options out there that we don't even know about yet. If we do this right now, we'll only have to save $682 per month for the next 18 years.
But wait, these numbers are all sticker price for a private Ivy League school. Should she have to go to a state school with a more modest price tag? Should she be expected to find some scholarships to the private university?
I guess my answer is that we'll give her as much as we can, but I accept the fact that it might not be enough. We'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it.
Posted by Kimberly at 4:36 PM | Comments (1)
Hair
August 1, 2005
Mia has the hair I always wanted. I was looking at it last night and she has just the perfect amount of highlights. I've been telling her since she was born that she should appreciate her hair since her mom has to pay big bucks to get that color. Well, that's mostly true. I have shelled out quite a bit of cash over the years on highlights, but I never did actually get that color. I think maybe I'll take her to the salon next time and tell them to just match her color for me! Of course she'll grow up and hate it. Women never appreciate their own hair. The grass is always greener so brunettes want to be blondes, and redheads want jet black hair. People with straight hair always long for curls and curly-headed people spend hours of their morning with a straightening iron. It's too bad though. She really does have great hair.
Posted by Kimberly at 2:23 PM | Comments (1)